Obesity Management: a Sociological Study of Obesity among Young People Aged 15 to 35 in Three Cities in Algeria (Tizi-Ouzou, Bouira and Oran

Following the withdrawal of certain members of the initial team—specifically Ms BENAOUM Fatima Zohra, who was to work on obesity as a public health issue, and Ms MAIZ (née Mansouri) Houria, who was to address the question of the body among schoolchildren—and the arrival of two new researchers: Ms ABDENNEBI-OULARBI Houria and Ms LATRECHE Yamina, the focus of our research axes has relatively shifted. One now focuses on nutrition among youth, while the other examines the recourse to alternative medicines among obese individuals.

The title provided during the initial project submission no longer reflects the current scope and extensions of the work. Nutrition has emerged as a predominant chapter and merits inclusion in the final title, which is henceforth: "Obesity and Nutrition among Youth: A Socio-Anthropological Study". Although the bulk of our fieldwork was conducted in Kabylie, we cannot specify this in the title, as an entire axis of this research took place in Constantine. It is also important to note that the 15–35 age group initially defined has not always been strictly adhered to, as Ms ABDENNEBI-OULARBI Houria also worked with subjects under the age of 15.

Our problem statement is structured around three questions that form the three axes of this study. These pivotal ideas correspond to specific analytical schemes: causal, symptomatic, and therapeutic, representing the primary stages or phases of the obesity theme from start to finish.

The Causal Scheme: Corresponds to axes No. 1 and 2. It explores how urbanisation, the transformation of dietary habits, and the new imagery of the body govern the proliferation of obesity cases in Algeria.The Symptomatic Scheme: Corresponds to axes No. 1 (Recham Ali), 2 (Sadi Nabila), and 3. Here, the obese body is experienced and perceived within the framework of both traditional and modern representations of the body.The Therapeutic Scheme: Corresponds to axis No. 3. Like all diseases, obesity is now medicalised, and the therapies sought are increasingly varied